Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Iran conflict
Egypt has put its armed forces on high alert and carried out nationwide drills of its air defence systems as fears grow of a broader Iran-Israel conflict, sources told The National.
Egypt's top government officials are meanwhile holding emergency meetings to decide on measures to ensure that the import-dependent nation of 106 million maintains adequate reserves of food, fuel and other essential commodities.
The goal, said the sources, is to mitigate the impact of potential disruptions to global supply chains triggered by escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Already, Egypt's pound weakened and its stock market recorded its biggest plunge in five years on Sunday on fears of a broader conflict.
Egypt shares a border with Israel along the eastern edge of its Sinai peninsula. The most populous Arab nation has, on several occasions since the Gaza war erupted in 2023, seen projectiles fired by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen veering off course and landing on Egyptian territory. These incidents caused material damage but no fatalities.
The sources said that while the Egyptian military's combat units have been put on high alert nationwide, those deployed in the Sinai Peninsula were ordered to go on maximum alert.
The orders went out shortly after Israel's latest round of hostilities with Iran began on Friday, when Israel's first wave of strikes killed senior Iranian military leaders and damaged nuclear and military infrastructure.
Iran has responded with barrages of missiles and drones fired on Israel, killing and injuring scores, as both adversaries vowed more attacks.
The sources said the testing of Egypt's air defence systems involved nearly all of the nation's 27 provinces.
"The exercise was designed to see if there are any gaps in the nationwide coverage by the air defences," said one source. The source did not say what exactly was involved in the drills.
The higher state of alert and the air defence drills come at a time when Cairo's relations with Israel are at their lowest point because of the Gaza war, now in its 21st month, while relations with Iran are rapidly improving.
Relations worsened significantly in May 2024 when Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing and a narrow buffer zone running the length of the Gaza-Egypt frontier.
As relations with Israel steadily worsened, those between Cairo and Tehran rapidly improved, with the two nations regularly consulting on regional issues as they work towards improving relations, including allowing millions of Iranian pilgrims to visit religious shrines in Egypt.
In a vastly significant, albeit symbolic gesture, Egypt's Al Azhar has issued a statement strongly condemning Israel for attacking Iran.
"This aggression constitutes a flagrant violation of state sovereignty and infringement of international law, as well as a direct threat to regional and international peace and security," Al Azhar said on Saturday night.
Egypt is closely monitoring the potential consequences of further escalation, according to the sources, particularly the risk of Iran retaliating by closing the Strait of Hormuz or Bab Al-Mandab – both critical maritime chokepoints.
The closure of either would effectively block access to the Suez Canal, a vital source of foreign currency for cash-strapped Egypt, and threaten the country’s fuel supplies and other oil-based imports.
A government statement said Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has discussed ways to increase the nation's "strategic reserves" of a range of goods with central bank governor Hassan Abdullah and Finance Minister Ahmed Kajouk.
Mr Madbouly held a separate meeting on Friday night with the ministers of oil and electricity to discuss the "ramifications of the military events in the region", the statement said, without providing further detail.
Israel has already suspended natural gas exports to Egypt due to the tenuous security situation arising from its conflict with Iran. The move could disrupt power generation in Egypt, where gas-fuelled stations supply much of the country’s electricity. With summer temperatures already climbing, Egypt is bracing for a surge in energy demand.
Rolling power cuts as recently as 2023 produced a popular backlash in Egypt, including a level of potentially disruptive popular discontent not seen since President Abdel Fattah El Sisi took office in 2014.
Egypt's atomic agency has sought to reassure Egyptians on the possibility of radiation leaks from Iranian nuclear facilities damaged by Israeli air strikes.
"There are no indications of a change or a rise in radiation levels," it said in a statement on Saturday night. "We are monitoring round-the-clock the developments related to the situation at nuclear facilities in the region."
Surrounded by regional crises
Egypt has for years faced challenges from regional conflicts: Libya’s civil war since 2011; Sudan’s collapse into fighting in April 2023, which has sent 1.5 million refugees across Egypt’s southern border; and the continuing war in Gaza.
Now, Egypt must prepare for handling a possible fallout from the tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran, all while facing a sensitive domestic situation.
Authorities are trying to prevent hundreds of foreign pro-Palestinian activists from marching towards Rafah, on the Gaza border, in a show of solidarity with Palestinians.
The government has stated that such actions require prior official authorisation. Security officials said around 200 activists have already been detained and deported upon arrival at Cairo airport.
Nearly 280 activists have been detained just outside the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, where a standoff continued over the weekend between riot police and scores of activists prevented from proceeding east towards Rafah.
Those had been put on buses and taken to Cairo airport from which they were being deported, according to the officials.
An estimated 2,000 activists are believed to have come to Egypt to participate in the 50km march from the city of El Arish in northern Sinai to Rafah, they said.
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
The Farewell
Director: Lulu Wang
Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma
Four stars
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Mountain%20Boy
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The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper
Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
Power: 136hp @ 4,500rpm (Cooper) / 192hp @ 5,000rpm (Cooper S)
Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Schedule
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THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
RIDE%20ON
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FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
